(Everybody Need To Know Who Jesus Is)

Matthew 16:13-18 (KJV) When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

[14] And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

[15] He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

[16] And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

[17] And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

[18] And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

VERY BRIEFLY THIS EVENING I WANT TO REASON

WITH YOU ON THE SUBJECT OF

(EVERYBODY NEED TO KNOW WHO JESUS IS)

Isaiah 40:8 (KJV) The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS

WE ARE LIVING IN A DAY AND TIME WHERE

EVERYBODY NEED TO KNOW WHO JESUS IS

AND IF IT`S EVER BEEN A TIME WHEN THE

CHURCH NEEDS TO BE ABOUT OUR FATHERS

BUSSINESS

NOW IS THE TIME

BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS A CALLED OUT

ASSEMBLY

THAT GOD HAS CALLED OUT OF DARKNESS INTO

THE MARVELOUS LIGHT

TO GO BACK OUT AND SHARE THE GOSPEL

MESSAGE WITH A SIN SICK WORLD

FOR GOD HAS A MESSAGE

A MESSAGE OF SALVATION-FORGIVINESS-HOPE

AND JUDGEMENT

AND IT`S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHURCH

TO PROCLIAM THAT MESSAGE

YOU SEE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS

CHRISTIAN MEANS CHRIST-LIKE

AND IF WE WHO PROFESS TO BE CHRISTIANS OR

CHRIST-LIKE

THEN WE NEED TO LOVE LIKE JESUS LOVED

WE NEED TO FORGIVE LIKE JESUS FORGAVE

WE OUGHT TO HELP OTHERS LIKE JESUS DID

AND GIVE LIKE JESUS GAVE

BECAUSE EVERYBODY NEED TO KNOW WHO

JESUS IS

BUT AS WE EXAMINE THE TEXT BEFORE US

IT`S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT

After one has been instructed a while in school, examinations will be given.

So it was for the disciples at Caesarea Philippi.

They had been accompanying Christ for some time and had, as a result, received much teaching from Him.

Christ now gives them an exam. He asks them several questions regarding His identity.

First, as an introduction, He asked them who others thought He was.

Then He asked them who they thought He was—this was the key question, and it would reveal how well they had listened in class to His teaching.

It also was the question which solicited from Peter the second great confession of faith

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AND THIS BRINGS ME TO THE FRIST SPRITUAL

NUGGET I SEE IN THE TEXT

Whom do others say that I am?

?When Jesus came into the coasts [borders] of Caesarea

Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying,

Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias [Elijah]; and others, Jeremias [Jeremiah], or one of the prophets?

Four popular opinions were mentioned in the disciples’ answer to Christ’s first question.

First, some thought Christ was John the Baptist

This was Herod’s view, for he thought Christ was John the Baptist come back to life .

NOW I NEED TO PAUSE AND TELL YOU

THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS A GOOD MAN BUT JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS`NT JESUS CHRIST

John the Baptist was unique man. A FORERUNNER OF

JESUS CHRIST

Who wore odd clothes and ate strange food and preached an unusual message

REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND

JOHN THE BAPTIST AND JESUS HAD SOMETHING

IN COMMON

THEY BOTH DIED A CRUEL DEATH FOR TELLING

THE TRUTH

YOU DO REMEMBER THE STORY ABOUT A MAD

QUEEN NAME HERODIAS-A DANCING PRINCESS

NAME SALOME AND A PREACHER WHO GOT HIS

HEAD CUT OFF FOR TELLING THE TRUTH

JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS A GOOD MAN BUT JOHN

THE BAPTIST WAS`NT JESUS CHRIST

Second, some thought Christ was Elijah who had been prophesied by Malachi to return in advance of the Messiah.

ELIJAH Was the most famous and dramatic of Israel’s prophets •

Predicted the beginning and end of a three-year drought TO

OLD HENPECKED AHAB AND WICKED JEZEBEL•

•Was used by God to restore a dead child to his mother

•Represented God in a showdown with priests of Baal and

Asherah

•Appeared with Moses and Jesus in the New Testament transfiguration scene

ELIJAH AND JESUS HAD SOMETHING IN COMMON

THEY BOTH KNEW THAT IT POWER IN PRAYER

YOU DO REMEMBER ELIJAH ON MT.CARMEL

WHEN HE PRAYED AND GOD SENT FIRE FROM

HEAVEN AND COMSUMED THE WATER SOAKED

SACRIFICE

ELIJAH WAS A GOOD GOD FEARING MAN BUT